Life Happens
by KikiOnHiatus
Summary: Sometimes what we want isn't always what we get, life happens… Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal or its characters. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Melbourne, FL 1998_

Melbourne was a small town in central Florida right off the coast. It's population stood at a little over fifty thousand people. It was a predominantly white neighborhood, made up of middle class suburban families. The liveliest activities came twice a year in the form of Christmas Festival and Spring Festival. It was the only two events that people recognize the place for. The people were somewhat friendly but mostly kept to themselves.

"Fitz, I gotta go…" Olivia said half seriously trying to pry herself out of her boyfriend's tight grip.

"Come on Livvie you can't leave me like this…" He trailed, grounding his erection into her right thigh and she whimpered in response.

"Nah uh… that's on you for being a horny teenager," she quipped, smacking her full lips together.

"Like you." He bit her left ear playfully to get back at her for her words and she yelped before bursting into laughter.

"Let me go!" she demanded a little more sternly, before pushing his firming chest with her petite hands and he finally released her. Breathing heavily she sat up in his full size bed to gather her wits before smoothing out the wrinkles in her shirt and hair. She had to make herself presentable again.

Fitz sat in the middle of his bed fully clothed with a stiff boner in his pants while watching his girlfriend of 11 months "fix" herself. To him she was already perfect with her smooth milky chocolate skin that was soft under his touch, her beautiful heart shaped face and brown doe eyes also landed her an ethereal touch. She was poised and stood tall and regal even though standing at a mere 5'4". She was everything his young heart could ever want and more than he knew what to do with.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" He asked, running his fingers through the luscious dark brown curls covering his head. He needed to do something to take his mind off of the problem in his jeans.

"No thanks," Olivia returned casually, standing in front of his floor length mirror, hanging on the back of his door while finger combing her shoulder length chemically straightened hair.

"Why not?" Olivia shot him a look conveying that he already knew the reason why.

He rolled his eyes in frustration. "You're 16 about to be 17, I don't get why your mother have such a problem with us being together!" He said petulantly.

"Fitz…" Olivia spoke in a warning tone; she didn't want to get into this with him.

"No, if you love me then you would let her know that we're still together. We shouldn't be hiding our love, Livvie." He spoke passionately, reddening his suntan face even more.

She admitted that he did have a point, but what was she to do when her mother didn't approve of her dating before 18? When she tried to bring Fitz home her mother plainly demanded for her to end the relationship because she wanted her to focus on school – "boys will come later Olivia" she said in her firm no nonsense tone.

Moving over to him, she sat at his side on the small bed and took his face in her hands. "You know I love you and it won't always be like this. We're going to go to college and my mom won't be able to control me there. It'll be you and me against the world, baby," she whispered softly against his lips, reminding him of their goal. Both their eyes were set on Georgetown University the following year after they graduated high school.

"You're right. It's just that I love you so much and I want to be open with you. My parents are ok with us being together and I just want it to be the same with your mom."

Olivia pecked his lips softly. "I know, and it will in time. Promise." She deepened their kiss for a few more seconds and pulled away because she really needed to go before her mom got home.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school," she told him, picking up her purple backpack from off his bedroom floor.

"Yep," Fitz reluctantly said, standing next to her. They shared another brief kiss before Olivia finally left his house. By the time she was turning the corner to get on the main street that would lead to her house she noticed his mother's car driving by and waved at it, in which his mother waved back and shouted her a hello through the hastily winded down window. Mrs. Grant was always nice to her and made her feel welcomed at their home. 15 minutes later she was walking through her front door.

* * *

Olivia was in her room finishing up her Math homework when she heard the garage door opening. She looked at the time - it was almost 6 PM. She quickly finished off the other two problems before putting away her books and leaving her room to go greet her mother.

"Hi mom," she greeted from the entranceway of the laundry room that was also a passageway to the garage.

"Hi Livia, how was your day?" Maya Pope asked brightly, slipping off her heels while simultaneously placing her briefcase atop the dryer. When her hands were empty she scuttled across the short distance to her and enveloped her in a tight hug. Olivia was a bit taken aback by the overzealous display of affection; it wasn't something she was used to when it came to her mother. She was affectionate, yes, but to a point.

"My day was good," Olivia mumbled into her mother's arm.

"Good, good. I have amazing news that will change our lives," she gushed, holding Olivia at arms length.

Confused by what this all meant she asked, "What's that?"

Instead of directly answering her question Maya tugged gently on her arm and began to lead her out of the laundry room to the kitchen. "Come let's cook dinner and we'll talk then." Her voice was radiating with happiness and Olivia couldn't help but to smile a little.

"Ok, mom." It wasn't often that her mother displayed such a carefree attitude. She took life very seriously. Well, she had to when she found out she was pregnant at the age of seventeen and her family wanted nothing to do with her. From that time onto now, it was the two of them.

Thirty minutes into cooking a flavorsome dish of chicken Parmesan the landline began ringing. Maya being closest to it answered, "Hello, Pope's residence."

Olivia looked up briefly from her task of chopping cucumbers to make a garden salad to gauge her mother's reaction.

"Hello," her mother repeated again, only this time exasperatedly but there still was no answer.

The hair on the back of Olivia's neck stood instantly because she knew whom the caller was. She busied herself again with the chopping of vegetables to look less obvious in case her mother looked at her.

After two more hellos Maya slammed the phone back into its holder in irritation.

Olivia tried not to look at her as she continued her task. For a few minutes she thought the small storm had blown over but it wasn't.

"Tell Fitz to stop calling my house if he's going to stay mute on the telephone."

"Mom, uh-"

"Don't even lie to me Olivia, I know you're still seeing him," Maya interjected.

Olivia's heart began beating fast and her face grew warm. She wondered what her mother was going to say next so she held in her breath, waiting…

"I was once young too." She raised an eyebrow at Olivia. "Are you having sex with him?" She asked point blanked.

Olivia quickly shook her head no and it was the truth, although her and Fitz had intense make out sessions they never crossed that line, yet… but they did talk about being each other's first. "No mom," she also vocalized to reassure her.

"Good, I don't want you to end up like me. Put that off for as long as possible," she smiled softly at her teenaged daughter.

Olivia nodded, "Yes ma'am."

They continued their cooking when out of the blue Maya suggested, "You can bring him over for dinner on Friday."

Olivia stopped everything she was doing and squealed, "really?"

Maya smiled brightly, "really."

Olivia's jaw almost dropped to the floor and her eyes was about to pop out her head in excitement.

"It's time I officially meet the boy that has my daughter disobeying my rules," she said the last part with a little edge in her voice but for the most part she spoke lightly.

Olivia gave her a nervous chuckle. She couldn't wait to call Fitz and tell him the good news. It was almost too good to be true. n

* * *

By 7:30 PM both women had freshened up and were seated around the dinner table, set for two. Even though Maya was a teenaged mom she made a life for herself and her daughter. After leaving her Mississippi roots she moved down to Florida when Olivia was only one year old. With public assistance from the government she followed her dream of attending college while working and taking care of her daughter. It wasn't an easy feat but she got it done with little support from an elderly woman who had adopted her in as a daughter. Maya didn't know what she would've done without Ms. Edna. Four years after moving down to Florida she graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BA in Marketing. After that she was lucky to gain an entry-level job at one of the best marketing firms in the state. She was fortunate to move up the ladder over the years into a senior position. It was long overdue and well deserved.

"So… I have incredible news." Maya took a gentle sip of her red wine before returning the wine glass onto the right side of her placemat.

Olivia forked a mouthful of pasta into her mouth while looking at her mother expectantly.

"I received a huge promotion at work. And I mean really huge," she emphasized, flailing her slender arms.

"That's awesome, mom!" Olivia congratulated in a cheery voice. She knew the hard work her mother put in and could only be proud of her accomplishment.

"Thanks sweetheart. They're opening a new office in London and wants me to run it." She clasped her hand in glee; she was beside herself with joy.

Olivia sat dumfounded, as all she heard was _LONDON, LONDON, LONDON, and LONDON._

"What! London?" Olivia exclaimed after she had gathered her wits.

"Oh sweetheart, yes, we'll be moving to London. Isn't that exciting? A new place, a fresh start for us." Maya's eyes widened in wonderment.

It wasn't exciting for Olivia; her mind immediately went to Fitz and her friends. She couldn't move to London and leave them behind. _How could she do this to me?_

"Mom, I don't want to go to London," she stated desperately.

Maya waved her off with her hand. "Olivia, don't be foolish. What am I going to do? Leave you behind?" When Olivia didn't immediately answer, she continued, "over my dead body. Where I go you shall go, also."

"What about Fitz and school? I can't leave them behind," Olivia panicked, feeling the wall closing in on her.

"What about Fitz? There'll be plenty more boys out there and as for school you'll probably be better schooled over there than here. It's going to be alright." Maya said assuredly but Olivia didn't buy it. She felt the light go off inside her.

"Mom, can I stay? I don't want to move." The first trickle of tears ran down the length of her chin as she spoke.

"Olivia!" Maya's voice boomed, startling her. "Can't you be happy for me? I've worked my ass off since I was 18 years old to provide for us because your no good daddy couldn't be bothered. I'm finally where I want to be. I finally made a name for myself despite the odds against me. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'll be damned if I don't take it. You're young, you'll easily move on. The sky is your limit, baby. Trust me, it won't be the end of the world." Even though her voice was harsh at the beginning she softened towards the end.

Olivia only nodded, too choked up to speak.

* * *

Fitz was having the time of his life in his shower fantasizing about Olivia while stroking his stiffened member. His mind went to the way her lips felt against his and how soft her breasts were. The more thought he conjured the more aroused he became as he continued his masturbation. He was climbing up the mountain peak when loud knocks on the bathroom door pulled him out of his inclination.

"Fitzgerald," the familiar voice of his mother called and he instantly groaned. _Dammit… now I can't even finish._ He thought.

Exhaling deeply he answered, "yes ma?"

"The telephone for you. It's Olivia," she shouted over the running water.

"Ok, I'll be out." Fitz called back, switching the water to cold to help rid of his erection.

A minute later he rushed out of the bathroom with the bath towel wrapped around his waist.

"Fitzgerald, don't be wetting up my floor," his mother chastised from the kitchen.

"I'll mop it up, ma," he rebounded, moving as quickly to the phone hanging against the wall. Once there he grabbed the phone and said, "Livvie?" He was surprised that she was calling him that early when she normally did around 10 when her mother went to bed.

"Fitz," the way that she said his name caused goosebumps to instantly cover his skin. He knew something was wrong.

"Livvie, what's wrong?" he probed.

"Everything," she sobbed. "Everything. My mom is ruining my life."

"Liv, Liv, calm down." She was speaking too fast and her crying muffled her words.

"I'm moving to London in 3 months."

And, with one sentence the course of his life was changed.

* * *

 _Ten years later_

 _October, 2008_

"Taxi!" Olivia shouted after the yellow cab from the side of the busy and overcrowded sidewalk in her slight English accent. It was the first time visiting the States since leaving in '98 and she was already over the crowded city. It was much different than her slow paced life being a UN ambassador for women in developing countries. She pulled the belt on her trench coat tighter to ward off the chilly fall air. Eventually, a kind New York cabbie came to a halt in front of her and she quickly climbed in, tugging her carry on behind her.

"Marriot Marquis, please," she relayed her destination to the taxi driver and he pulled off.

Washed and primed for the evening Olivia was swaddled in an oversize bathrobe padding from the bathroom to the small kitchen area that came with her suite. She made herself a cup of tea while calling her mother to tell her she landed safely. Maya Pope was the same as always, overprotective in nature.

When she was finally settled into the queen-sized bed for the night she grabbed her laptop from its bag to do some work. Tomorrow she was meeting up with other UN representatives for a leadership conference.

Midway through editing her proposal she saw a notification at the bottom of the laptop screen, alerting her of a new email. She clicked the link and noticed it was from one of her few friends, Abigail Whelan, inviting her to join Facebook. Apparently it was the new and upcoming social media platform but she wasn't interested. She led a private and busy life, dedicating most of her time to work. In many ways she became her mother. By now she thought love would have found her again but it never did. The last time she came close to anything like love was ten years ago, when she watched the pair of blue eyes that captured her soul slipped away when she walked through the doors of the airport. At first they believed that their love could withstand the distance but it didn't. As time went by their interactions became far and few in between. Olivia couldn't remember much of that time because she felt stuck in an emotional abyss. She ached for the love that was far away, separated by miles upon miles of water and land.

Sighing, she ran her fingers through her shoulder length bob and continued working. By the time she was finished an idea struck her and before thinking much about it she clicked on the invitation to join Facebook. Within a few minutes she was in and familiarizing herself with it. The first thing she did was added Abby as a friend and within a few minutes she saw she had accepted her friend request. Immediately she saw a chat button popped up on the side of the screen and the two began chatting. Olivia was laughing as she conversed with her friend through this new medium.

Meanwhile, she was filling out her profile, including her education, jobs, birthday, etc. When she added her previous American high school as one of her educational facilities she noticed a list of friends that attended the school that year popped up in her recommended friends field. Olivia jumped with elation when she noticed several of her friends that she hadn't spoken to in a decade. One by one she clicked on their pages, gleaning bits of their current life. Some were married and with kids while some hadn't changed at all. It was nice to be able to connect with them so she clicked on the add button for most of them. For the next two hours Olivia was inboxing old classmates, catching up.

Just when she was about to sign out of her newly fond account she noticed _his_ name (Fitzgerald Grant) on one of her recently added former classmate's page. Heart hammering in her chest as she clicked on his name, she didn't know what to expect because she hadn't spoken to him since they had officially broken up many years ago. The distance was too rough and they were too young so they didn't know any better.

However, nothing prepared her for what she saw when she clicked on his page. In his profile picture he was dressed in a U.S. NAVY uniform holding a little boy that looked exactly like him and a tall brunette woman stood beside him with her arms around his midsection. They were smiling brightly into the camera.

It shouldn't hurt but it did. So many time has passed and he had moved on but she didn't. A small part of her was hoping that perhaps one day they would meet again. He was her first love; her only love and she not only gave him her heart so many years ago but her body and soul. He was her first for many things.

The tears fell as she watched the man she still loved living without her. It hurt; it hurt so badly…

* * *

 **AN: I'm sorry this was angst ridden but I'm trying my hand at new writing techniques. Please review and let me know what you think :) Thank you.**

 **Until next time,**

 **XOXO**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: WOW! A new record has been set for me since I've started writing fanfiction. 65 reviews on a single chapter? That has never happened to me before and I appreciate you all for taking the time to leave one. This story was initially only going to be a one shot but I guess you all demanded more and I obliged. :) Now, that you've spoiled me with such a plethora of reviews, please keep them coming. BTW, I won't be able to update frequently because school and work keeps me very busy. Thanks for understanding. Enjoy!**

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The four days flew by so quickly and before she knew it, it was time to leave. As she pulled her small carryon behind her through the bustling airport, crowded with workers, passengers, family members and friends who were there to see them off, she reflected on the last four days. She had to say things took a turn for the better after the first night in the States. She met some very interesting people at the conference, building rapport and further expanding her professional database. One of the people she'd form a quick bond with was a sweet, charismatic woman named Sharise London with a beautiful kinky-curly Afro. Olivia was surprised that she actually wore her natural hair out as many black women kept their hair chemically relaxed unless it was the "acceptable" kind of curly. But she was informed about the natural hair movement that was currently arising in New York City. It left her knowledgeable when Sharise shared her thoughts on the matter. Olivia wore her hair relaxed for as long as she could remember and found the tidbit refreshing, happy to learn that black women were embracing their natural hair and encouraging other sistas to be proud of it. Sharise was eccentric and compassionate; qualities that make her stand out in the crowd. She was someone you wanted on your team. She worked primarily with domestic projects in the inner cities. The two ladies had exchanged phone numbers and email addresses, promising to keep in contact and Olivia swore to God that she would. Not everyday you meet people you actually click with. Last night Sharise had invited her out for drinks to commemorate the four-day conference and new friendships. The night was really fun; they visited a swanky jazz bar in Brooklyn. Olivia could say she had a really good time and a slight headache from too much alcohol she consumed, which wasn't a frequent occurrence but she had no regrets.

The security check line was entirely too long but luckily she had over 2 hours to spare before her flight was ready. She didn't have to check in any luggage and had already printed her boarding pass. Close to twenty minutes later she was on the other side of the airport. The first stop Olivia made was to a candy store that sold American traditional goodies that she liked to indulge in but couldn't find in England. After shopping her fill she made her way to the ladies room for a pit stop. Suitcase stood erect next to her and bag of goodies securely hooked around its handles as she washed her hands in the sink. She stared at her reflection in the rectangular shaped mirror with specks of water stains at the bottom. Her hair was pulled back in a low bun and she was wearing her glasses today instead of contacts. They were a stylish pair of red rounded cat eye frame that she only wore once in a while, even though she really liked its chic look. Her white button up shirt, black jeans and red ballet flats complemented it nicely. After reapplying her neutral shade lipstick to her pouty lips she left the restroom. The next stop she made was to the Five Guys restaurant she saw in the distance; it was one of her favorite fast food restaurant growing up. She ordered herself a little bacon cheeseburger after the family of five had finally placed their order.

Approximately ten minutes later her number was called and she went up to the counter for her burger before claiming a small table in the center. Olivia was midway eating her juicy burger, enjoying the greasy decadence that was not a frequent meal choice. It was actually pretty rare that she ate fast food as she tried to eat healthily. She was about to pop a fry into her mouth when she felt a heavy presence come over her. Someone was staring at her strongly from her right side but she couldn't see them through her peripheral view. She tried to ignore them but the feeling intensified as the seconds ticked away, so she succumbed and turned her head to look. And when she did her eyes fell upon clear blue eyes from across the room. A gasp immediately left her mouth as she stared in disbelief. It was _him_. A look of familiarity took over his countenance and she watched as he quickly got up from his seat at the table and strode purposefully towards her.

Olivia felt her heart hammering in her chest as she stared at him. He looked so different; he was taller and handsomer than she remembered. His body filled out nicely in the navy blue long sleeve shirt with the word NAVY in white lettering across his taut chest and dark blue jeans. His hair was a lot shorter than she remembered. She was speechless as he came to a stop in front of her. He didn't wait for her to stand as he scooped her up in his arms and crushed her body into his, as though so much time hadn't passed between them. He held her the way he once did and she surrendered to his embrace, fighting the tears behind her eyelids. She was so incredibly emotional and feared she would breakdown in his arms at any moment.

* * *

"Wow," Fitz uttered in disbelief as he held Olivia at arms length. "I kept saying to myself that the women across the room looked like Olivia but I wasn't sure. It wasn't until you looked at me that I was sure it was you. Wow." His heart was thumping loudly in his chest as he brought close for another bear hug. He didn't want to let her go, _she still fit perfectly in my arms_ , he thought.

"Hi," Olivia murmured against his chest, she had no other words to say. So she said the simplest form of greeting that conveyed so much.

"I can't believe it's you," Fitz repeated, squeezing her tighter as if to fuse her into his body, morphing them together.

For an eternity they stood in the middle of the airport's food court in a tight embrace before finally pulling apart. Fitz excused himself for a brief moment to gather his belongings and food from the table he was seated at. The burger was now cold but he didn't care for it anymore. He was full on happiness; someone he thought he would never see again was sitting across from him.

With a dazzling smile on his face he asked, "how have you been?"

"Good."

Her monotonous answer didn't put him off as he studied her face. She was even more beautiful than the last time he saw her. She hadn't grown much in height but her body had filled out nicely in all the right places, she looked womanly. He quickly scanned her left hand lying pliant on the table for a wedding ring and found none. It made him smile internally, even though he didn't know why that mattered. It wasn't like if seeing her today would somehow bring them back together. He had moved on and she probably had, as well. The thought made his smile falter and a melancholy feeling took over him as he remembered the last time they saw each other. He really believed that she was it for him and one day would be Mrs. Grant but alas life has a way of happening without the things you wanted the most.

Olivia saw his smile falter and she internally chastised herself for her lack of an expansive response. But she couldn't speak when so many emotions were coursing through her body and were all boiling to the surface, fighting for dominance. _Life was too cruel,_ she thought as she noticed the wedding band on his third finger.

She pulled herself out of her own musings and asked, "How about you?" It took everything within her to even form the words and even more to look him in the eyes.

He nodded and gave her a small smile before answering. "I've been good."

Olivia smiled wanly and continued to look him in the eyes. For several seconds they stared at each other in silence, no words could express what they both felt as their eyes communicated their pain, sorrow and regret.

"I still think about you," Fitz confessed softly, his eyes never leaving her.

Olivia bit her lips and turned away, quickly wiping the escape tear that fell on her plump cheek with the back of her hand. It shouldn't hurt so much… _Ten years was a long time to get over someone, right? It shouldn't hurt so much_ was all she kept telling herself.

"Fitz…" her voice barely above a whisper. It was the first time she spoke his name aloud in years.

Fitz exhaled loudly and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that but I just wanted you to know," he explained quickly. Olivia noticed he still had the habit of running his fingers through his hair when frustrated and it made her smile a bit. _Somewhere in this hunk of a man was still her Fitzy._ She mused.

 ** _This is the last call for flight 405 from New York to Houston, Texas. Passengers, please board the plane immediately. I repeat, this is the last call for flight 405 New York to Houston._**

The announcement through the PA system got Fitz' attention as it was his flight. Initially he was only going to grab something to eat and board the flight but that all changed when his eyes landed on his first love.

He started gathering his left over food as he spoke, "Uh…that's my flight." He paused when he noticed her shoulder dropped in disappointment. "…Can we exchange numbers?" he asked boldly, hoping that she wouldn't have a problem with it.

Olivia bit her bottom lip in hesitation before voicing, "I don't know if that's a good idea." She truthfully didn't. What good would come out of them interacting with each other further than they have today? She could only sense hurt, mainly on her part. She didn't want to hear about him being happy with his wife and kid. _God! Why is this happening to me?_ She cried internally.

"Come on Livvie…" Fitz implored, giving her his signature smirk. Her heart leaped when he called her by his special nickname he'd given her. She looked at him and a small cautious smile finally formed on her lips. How could she say no to him? Without further thought she reached inside of her handbag and withdrew a business card from the side pocket and a pen before scribbling her cell phone number onto the back.

The flight attendant interrupted them again over the PA system, saying that gate 24 was about to close for flight 405. Fitz needed to hurry before he missed his flight.

"I'll call you and I'll give you my number then," he said, realizing he didn't have time to write down his phone number and he didn't carry business cards with him.

"Ok," She returned, also standing to her feet.

"I'm sorry I have to go right now or else I'll miss my flight. I'll call you as soon as I can." He strode around the table to her side.

"That's ok, I understand." She looked up at his towering figure, making her feel smaller in stature.

"You were always understanding," he mumbled under his breath but she caught it. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly before pulling back to study her face. Fitz leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on her right cheek that left her blushing. It was such a simple and sweet gesture.

"I promise to call you." He licked his bottom lip sensually. "Good bye for now, Livvie."

Olivia gave him another shy smile. "Good bye, Fitz."

"For now…" he added confidently before turning away and retreating from her. When he was a foot away he looked back and gave her another dazzling smile before speeding off to gate 24.

Olivia stood there feeling like her life had just turned upside down from the brief encounter. She was left feeling hopeful…

* * *

 **AN: I know you guys are all wondering whether or not Fitz is married, all I will say is, I do not write cheating stories. Hope that's enough of an assurance for you :). In the meantime, what you all think? Please leave those awesome reviews. Truly appreciate them.**

 **Until next time,**

 **XOXO**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you awesome people for all of your wonderful reviews. You're all rock stars. Hope you enjoy the new update. Took a break from assignments to write this update because the muses were flowing. HA HA. FYI: This chapter is Fitz centric. Don't forget to leave a feedback at the end. Thanks! Enjoy!**

* * *

The sun was slowly making its way into hiding as the full moon prepared to shine luminous. The Texas weather was cool and Fitz was happy about that. After picking up the 50-lb suitcase from the moving conveyer belt, he expertly navigated through the maze of passengers. He hopped on the first available shutter to the rental car area. The only vacant seat was next to a petite old lady; he smiled politely before occupying it. A few minutes later, he went through the prerequisites before the key to the GMC Yukon was handed to him. Fitz tossed his suitcase in the back of the truck before sliding behind the wheel. He connected his phone to the GPS - the address was already programmed so he simply pressed start and pulled into traffic when passage was clear.

For the next ten minutes he was very alert as he navigated the heavy airport traffic. It wasn't until he was on the interstate that he began to relax because the traffic had thinned out considerably. In his relaxed state his mind went back to a few hours ago when he saw Olivia. He couldn't believe that the universe would bring them together again, even only briefly. It'd been a long time… He wanted to know everything that has happened in the past ten years. Was life treating her good? Did she still think of him? So many questions he had, and couldn't wait to get her on the phone. It was ridiculous that after all this time she still made him giddy. The fact remains that Olivia will always be his one true love. His mind drifted to when he said the very same words.

 ** _Melbourne, FL 1998 ~ Flashback_**

 _"Liv you gotta eat," Fitz implored._

 _"I don't want anything to eat," she said solemnly, pushing away the tray of fries and bacon cheeseburger. The two had skipped school and were at Five Guys for lunch that day. It was their favorite eating spot but she had no appetite since her mother told her a week ago that they were moving._

 _Fitz watched his girlfriend sip on the strawberry milkshake while he finished up his food. His heart was breaking for her because she was taking it extremely hard. In his heart he believed that distance albeit hard will not break them up, but she didn't see it that way. It was scary that she didn't have as much faith in their love as him._

 _When he was finished eating he packed up her food and they loaded his 1978 Ford mustang. The windows were down, letting in the warm breeze as they cruised through the narrow streets of Melbourne. Instead of driving back to his place he decided to head to their spot. Twenty minutes later he was pulling into the Melbourne Beach parking lot. Fitz popped the trunk and got out of the vehicle. He grabbed the beach blanket that was always kept in his trunk for impromptu beach trips like this. Olivia was already standing on the outside of the car; he walked towards her and held onto her hand. They walked the slightly covered in shrubs boardwalk, passing an elderly couple. They politely said hi but got no response from them. Instead Fitz saw the wife looking at Olivia with barely concealed repulsion. It was sad to say that they'd grown used to people watching them funny because they were an interracial couple. At first it bothered him tremendously but now he didn't care what any of them had to say or think as long as they didn't vocalize it, because if they did, they had another thing coming._

 _They made their way to their secret spot and spread the blanket on the sand. Palm trees surrounded them creating a small alcove with a slight opening to see the lush ocean._

 _Fitz sat first on the blanket with his back bracing onto the trunk of a palm tree and guided Olivia to sit in between his legs. He wrapped his arms snuggly around her, inhaling her sweet aroma – burning her scent even more into his senses. They sat in complete silence, watching the waves dance along the shorelines. The atmosphere smelled salty as to be expected. Small daisy flowers ran across the wild grass behind them._

 _Sensing that her mood wouldn't change by sitting down and thinking about what's to come, Fitz thought of something that would lift her spirits._

 _"Take off your shoes," he commanded softly, not wanting to ruin her navy blue flats. "…Please," he added when she cast him a look over her shoulder._

 _A small smile form on her lips as she did his bidding, amused by his domineering side._

 _Fitz led her to stand on her feet and he followed, slipping out of his low-top converse._

 _"What are you doing?" Olivia asked bewildered, watching him take off his jeans._

 _Fitz smirked. "Relax, we're going swim," he explained._

 _She visibly sighed; relieved that he hadn't completely lost his mind but then she remembered she didn't have on any swimsuits underneath her sundress._

 _"I can't, I don't have on any swim clothes."_

 _"So…" Fitz replied casually, pulling off his T-shirt so that he was only in a pair of light blue boxers._

 _Olivia began backing up when she noticed the gleam of mischief in his eyes. "Don't you dare," she warned him slowly._

 _"Come on, Livvie," he grinned, prancing on her until he caught up to her and scooped her up in his arms in a bridal carry before running towards the ocean. She was screaming at him to be let down but eventually her screams turned into chortles of joy. The warm water hit his feet as soon as he reached the edge, welcoming him in further so he walked out into the water until it reached his waist, mindful of his girlfriend's short frame._

 _Without letting go of her he bent his knees and submerged her entire body into the warm water minus her hair. Boy, had he learned in the past about wetting her hair. That was a no go. Satisfied that she was now drenched he placed her on her feet. She laughed until she was snorting. Fitz joined in the laughter, knowing that she hated when she snorted but to him there was no other sound more beautiful._

 _He looked at how stunning she looked in that moment. Her blush pink dress clung to her body showing off her svelte figure. He could see the imprint of her white cotton bra as it barely concealed her erect nipples. His mouth ran dry and he looked away from her and up into the cloudless blue sky to quell the heat threatening to rise in his loins. A flock of birds chose to fly by that time in a seamless synchronization, something that never failed to blow his mind away. They flew with such precision and it was one of the reasons he wanted to be a pilot._

 _Fitz wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist, pulling her closer and she placed hers around his neck; the waves moved them in an uncoordinated dance. They soaked up the warmth of the sun above and the love from within each other._

 _So much love for her radiated within him. She was his moon, sun and stars that graced the sky. "Livvie, you have to believe that our love is as big as this ocean. You're my one and only love. Distance cannot kill our love." His voice barely above a whisper but he spoke so boldly and confidently. There was nothing or no one that could tell him that their love wasn't strong enough to withstand the roughest of times. He believed in their love so much. To him it was unbreakable…unchangeable, eternal._

Fitz shook himself out of his thoughts when the GPS said that he was 100 yards away from his destination. He sighed somberly, thinking how wrong he was to believe that their love was unbreakable. He was so young back then and believed that love at the end of the day was all that mattered. But years of growth and experience taught him that wasn't always true.

Five minutes later he pulled into the driveway of an olive green, one-story bungalow house. He parked the truck in front of the garage before climbing out of it. Night had already fallen and fireflies were illuminating the dark air. He decided not to unpack the suitcase and made his way up the driveway to the front door. He shook his head to clear his thoughts one more time before ringing the doorbell.

A second later he heard little feet pattering and a second pair of feet rushing closely behind. The door swung open, revealing a pair of happy faces and he immediately got low to the ground.

"Daddy! You made it!" The little boy called out exuberantly, flinging himself into his father's open arms.

"Of course I did," he returned as excited, scooping him up in his arms.

When the duo had settled in Fitz turned his attention to the second happy face. A warm smile spread on his face as he looked at the woman who blessed him with his son.

"Hey," he said, opening his arms so that she can join in the hug.

"Hey," she smiled, wrapping her arms tightly around him, inhaling his masculine scent.

* * *

Later that night Fitz lay in bed allowing his mind to travel back in time. He wanted so desperately to call Olivia but he couldn't. She was probably asleep seeing that it was close to midnight locally and she was five hours ahead. He reached to the bedside table and grabbed his wallet, opening up to a picture of her smiling face. The picture was old and almost washed out but he could still make out her radiant face. He carefully removed it from the slot, running his callous thumb across her face. His mind drifted again, conjuring memories as though it was only yesterday.

 ** _Melbourne, FL 1998 ~ Flashback_**

 _"Are you sure this is ok?" Fitz asked as he was being led through the backdoor of Olivia's house. Her mother was out of town on a business trip and she invited him over, which was odd if you asked him – seeing that this wasn't the first time her mother left her home alone overnight. It was odd because this was the first time she'd invited him over. Ever since Olivia found out they were moving, gone was the girl that adhered to her mother's rules. She was breaking them left, right and center without apology. And if he was being honest with himself, he would say that he liked it, he liked it very much because he got to be with her almost every waking moment._

 _"Shh… it's fine," she shushed, locking the door in place and turning off the back porch light._

 _Fitz smirked at her. She looked so adorable in her mint green bathrobe and her hair pulled up in a ponytail. He was too focus on her to appreciate the interior décor of the house, being that it was his first time over._

 _"I want to show you something," Olivia said nervously, entwining their fingers together._

 _"Ok," was all he said before she dragged him through the house to her bedroom. They came to a stop at her bedroom door._

 _She tugged on his hand to get his attention. "I love you Fitz, and tonight I want to show you just how much," her soft words floated to his ears._

 _Fitz looked into her brown chocolate orbs and his breath hitched seeing the vulnerability and love shining brightly in them. He watched as she nervously opened the door to her bedroom revealing the dimly lit room, illuminated by candles. The smell of vanilla hit his nose sending a shiver down his spine. He looked back down at Liv and gave her a nervous smile. If it is what he's thinking then he was more than happy to oblige._

 _He followed her into the modest size bedroom and closed the door behind him. They stood facing each other at the foot of the bed, anxiously gazing._

 _"Are you sure?" He asked, eyebrows rose in question as his fingers grazed her left arm._

 _Instead of replying with words he watched as she untied the belt on her bathrobe, revealing a white silk teddy with lace trimmings around the neckline. It fit her a little loose and it had him wondering if it belonged to her mother but he didn't ask._

 _"Yes… I'm ready Fitz, make love to me," she spoke boldly._

 _Seeing that it was his first time as well Fitz' palms became sweaty and he had to concentrate on breathing. He couldn't believe that the moment to make love to his girlfriend was finally here._

 _"Do you have a condom?" he asked hesitantly, wanting to be sure because he wasn't sure if she was on birth control and he had no protection on him. He mentally chided himself for being so stupid because he should've read between the lines when she invited him over; he didn't want to jump to conclusions._

 _Olivia nodded and showed him the two shiny wrappers on the middle of the bed. She was prepared, he mused. Of course she was, she wouldn't be named Olivia Pope if she weren't. Inhaling deeply and exhaling just as deep he cleared his mind to be in the moment. This was their moment and he wanted to savor it as much as possible._

 _"Ok."_

 _Gently he grabbed her face between his palms and brought his lips down on hers. He pecked her lightly before deepening the kiss. He took his time caressing his lips against hers and when she opened her mouth, he plunged his tongue inside – their tongues dueled together. She was making soft moans that were making him even more aroused. His hands wandered to her ass and he squeezed them through the silk fabric, pulling her into his body. This was the freest he'd ever seen her act when they were making out. Normally, she would move his hands from her ass whenever it wandered there but not tonight. Tonight she gave him access to explore every part of her._

 _When standing had become too much they moved to the bed after Fitz removed his cargo shorts and T-shirt, leaving him in a checkered boxer. They were both so nervous that they didn't speak to each other. Both their minds were too preoccupied on what was to come._

 _On the bed Olivia lay on her back while Fitz lay on top of her, mindful of his weight. He lowered his head to resume kissing her but their noses bumped, causing Olivia to yelp out loud before laughing. "I'm sorry," he apologized, scolding himself for being clumsy._

 _"It's ok. Relax," she smiled up at him and he felt himself relaxing. This was his Livvie, the girl he loved. It was no use worrying. She loved him and he loved her and that was all that mattered._

 _He lowered his head again and this time successfully fused their lips together. From first jump he kissed her deeply, timid kisses could no longer be found. His hands roved the planes of her slender body; he touched her breasts and her ass before nervously pushing it between her legs. At first he only rubbed her soft inner thighs._

 _"Higher…" she panted, encouraging him on. Her command emboldened him and he conceded to her demand, surprised when he felt the dampened soft curls covering her center with no barriers._

 _That assured him he was doing something right and was able to relax further. His fingers sought her slits, playing it in the way he strummed the cords on his guitar. Again, he felt like he was doing something right when she pulled her mouth away from his and began mumbling unintelligible words. He continued his ministrations with his fingers as his mouth continued to kiss her face, neck or any other place that was available to him._

 _He was in control until her small hand wrapped around his erection, pumping him. Immediately he pulled away to stop himself from almost cum-ing._

 _"Fitz…" Olivia panted again, writhing beneath him. He'd never seen her so less composed; it was like a different girl beneath him. He loved this version of her, whimpering and crying out his name. He felt almost godlike._

 _'Take off your clothes." The deepness of his voice surprised him as he pulled back to push off his boxer. Olivia did as she was told, baring her silhouette. Her brown skin glowed even more under the dancing flames._

 _Fitz scooted to the bedside and pulled off his boxers, releasing his shaft from the confinement. He took a deep breath before putting on the condom. His hands were trembling a bit but he forced himself to remain calm as he performed the task. When the protective barrier was put on securely Fitz scooted back to the center of the bed. Olivia was looking at him with wide eyes, taking in his length. This would be the first time she saw him fully naked – he was impressive._

 _Her legs opened for him and he settled himself between them. He kissed her chastely, watching the erratic way her breasts raised and fell._

 _"Let me know if I hurt you," he whispered hoarsely. She nodded, biting down on her bottom lip as he lined himself up with her center. Fitz held himself up on his elbows so he was feeling tremendous pressure trying to hold most of his weight and penetrate her at the same time. Inch by inch he slid into her, she was so incredibly tight but he didn't hear her crying so that was good, he thought. He pushed until more than half of his length was in._

 _"How are you feeling?" He asked in a strained voice._

 _Her breathing labored, Olivia inhaled deeply and said, "good."_

 _He kissed her lips softly and began moving, thrusting slowly into her. At first she was just lying there and Fitz was about to stop when he felt her hips began moving with him. It felt so much better when she was winding against him, creating the perfect friction. The more they moved the headier he felt; it was incredible. He'd never experienced such a high in his life. The pleasure coursing through his body had him moaning and saying things that he wouldn't on a regular day. Endorphins rushed and flooded his senses to the point where he thought he was having an out of world experience. His paced quickened at the sound of Olivia moaning his name, something about the way she said his name was so different than she regularly did and it only fueled his desire for her. He kissed her harder, moving deeper inside of her as his hands squeezed her thighs - sure to leave fingermarks – but in that moment he didn't care._

 _The foreign feel of her walls fluttering around him was his undoing - his entire body froze and jerked at the same time. He could barely register Olivia's voice calling his name as she too felt the most incredible high of her life, thus far. The experience was more than he could've ever imagined._

 _Tangled between the sheets and each other they felt closer than they ever did before. It was like a veil was removed and they were seeing each other's face up close for the first time. Fitz held her close absorbing the heat from her body. He fell more in love…_

 _Only their breathing could be heard in the almost quiet room, their overactive minds silenced their mouths._

 _Olivia eventually broke the silence and uttered two little words, "Let's runaway…"_

Sharp knocks on the bedroom door rouse him from his dreamlike thoughts.

"Daddy!" the faint sound of his son's voice pulled him back to the present. He looked down at the picture of Olivia and tucked it back away in his wallet before getting up and heading to open the door.

He looked down at him clutching his plush toy dinosaur. "You had a nightmare, bud?"

He pouted his little pink lips as he nodded his head.

"C'mere."

* * *

 **AN: I know a lot of information has yet to be revealed but a lot of it will when Olitz finally talks. So, what you guys think about this chapter, the flashbacks and revelation about Fitz' toddler son and mother? Btw, how cute is young Olitz? Bless their hearts and that Olivia knows what she wants. Let me know what you think. ;)**

 **Until next time,**

 **XOXO**


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: It's been a very long time and I hope this chapter is worth the long wait. Enjoy!

SN: When reading this story, remember present day is set in 2008 and the flashbacks are set in 1998, so technology isn't current. HA!

* * *

 _London, 1998_

 _The place was cold, too cold and the sky wasn't bright as Florida's blue one. She hated it. She hated haven't to uproot her life to live in a place she didn't want to move to, but she had no choice. Truthfully, she had no money, because if she did it would've afforded her a choice. Money bought her choices, one of it being an apartment to live in while she finished high school in America. But as it was, that wasn't going to happen._

 _Her throat was raw from all of the crying she did over the past five days. Everything seemed bleak to her and it hurt that her mother didn't understand her broken heart. She kept preaching the same message over and over that she would get over it but Olivia doubt she would. The pain slicing through her beating organ pierced her very core and she didn't see it getting any better. She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be with Fitz in Florida, going to high school, graduating, going to college, moving in together, getting married, working on their individual careers before making their two babies. They had a plan and that plan was good as dead. The realization hit her for the thousandth time since her mother announced over three months ago that they were moving. And the pain only intensified, it grew worst since they boarded that plane to England five days earlier. Everyone looked at her and Fitz as they clung to each other in the terminal of Orlando International Airport. Her mother had to physically pry her out of his arms and dragged her wailing form through security. It was the single most painful thing that she had experienced. Her entire world felt dark, cold and despondent. Her worst nightmare lived out and her poor heart felt like it was going to give out from it all._

 _Five days in London didn't make anything better. She hated her life, she hated her mother and she hated that life made a decision for her without her input. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, her in a fetal position halfway around the world as her body racked with tears against the pillow securely clutched between her arms and legs. It was the only physical thing she could do because eating and sleeping was out of the question. She only ate when her mother forced her to and slept when her body had finally reached its limits._

 _The hostile rap on her "new" bedroom door in the two-bedroom apartment startled her, but she didn't have any energy to try to camouflage her despondent appearance before her mother entered._

 _Through her tears she could see Maya none too happy and she wished she cared but she didn't._

 _"I've had enough of your crying! What the hell is wrong with you, little girl? You're behaving as though I died with the type of emotion you're evoking. I told you there would be other friends, other boyfriends, so stop it! I've allowed you to stew for five whole days so you better stop!"_

 _Olivia ignored her and pushed her face into her pillow as her body continued to rack with tears. The insensitive manner in which her mother was behaving in only added wounds to her already broken heart._

 _Maya sat on the bed and roughly forced Olivia up by an arm, so that she could look her in the eyes. Through clenched teeth, Maya said, "stop crying. We're going out tonight for dinner with my associates, and you're going to behave like you're happy to be here instead of acting like an ingrate."_

 _Olivia stared at her unmoving, tears slowly flowing out of her eyes as she thought about how cruel her mother was behaving. She realized then that her mother didn't care if she was brokenhearted. To Maya, Olivia's feelings for Fitz will magically disappear and Olivia wished it did. Because if it did, she wouldn't feel like she was constantly suffocating._

* * *

 _London 2008 – Present Day_

Olivia pushed away the ugly reminder as she watched from her perched seat as her mother made them supper. It'd been a day since she returned to London and they were having their customary Sunday night dinner together at her mom's place.

Olivia tugged on the sleeve of her burgundy sweater dress as her mother droned on about work. Unsurprisingly, Maya had done well running the London marketing office. She was as in love with her job today as she was several years ago.

"John asked for you." Maya stopped her prodding of the small stuffed chicken to gauge her reaction while Olivia fought the urge to roll her eyes. John Blanc worked as an Advertising Account Manager at Morgan and Pope's Marketing Inc. (M&P). Olivia was very proud her mother finally got her name on the wall even though it wielded her more power. She was more 'badassery' if that was a word and she thought she could use said power in her daughter's love life or lack thereof. John was a nice guy but not the type of guy she was interested in. For ten years all of the guys she encountered weren't the guys she was interested in. Well, there were a few that held her interest for a little while.

"Mom," Olivia's tone was pleading for her to stop before they ended where neither of them wanted to be, which was in an argument.

"I'm just saying. You're always gone, here, there and everywhere for work. It's time you start thinking about your future. Marriage and kids, you're not getting younger, sweetheart." Maya continued her meticulous movements in the open plan stainless steel kitchen.

Olivia sighed and took a sip of her red wine. "I'm not interested in marriage or kids, you already know that."

Maya's eyes shot up to hers. "Olivia, don't be ridiculous. Of course you are. Once you meet the right guy it will happen. You just need to open up yourself a little. Maybe John will be that guy," she added with a stiff smile.

Olivia only shook her head in simmering ire. She'd already met the right guy but that didn't matter, right?

Changing the topic in its entirety, Olivia decided to bring up something that would no doubt shock her mother. "Guess who I ran into at the airport yesterday?" She took a generous sip of the liquid red to give herself courage. She still was reeling from her encounter with Fitz and wondered what it all meant. Was that a sign from the universe or mere coincidence? She was leaning more to the latter because he had yet to call her and he promised he would. But even if he did, what would they talk about?

"Who?" Maya asked, now plating their food.

Olivia ran a hand through her straight hair before answering, "Fitz."

"Fitz? As in that boy you used to date?" Olivia wasn't surprised that her mother spoke his name in a condescending tone.

Another sip of wine was swallowed before Olivia responded, "yep, that Fitz."

"Mmm. So how is he? Probably married with kids by now."

The casual implication sliced right through Olivia, her mother just knew how to hurt her swiftly. "I don't know, maybe," was Olivia's shaky response as she tried to nonchalantly shrug her shoulder as though the thought didn't pain her.

Maya's movements stopped altogether as she regarded her daughter intently, hands akimbo on her slim hips. "See, he has moved on and you need to."

"Mom, please stop."

"No, you need to hear this. You have to move on, Olivia. You're almost 28 and this is no way for you to live. Working tirelessly in third world countries for a subpar salary while your love life is pretty nonexistent. It's time you start thinking about your future using your head and not that heart of yours. Time to grow up, sweetheart."

Olivia looked down in her glass of wine, staring pensively into the dark liquid. The reflection of her tear-filled eyes mocked her. Maybe her mother was right; maybe it was time she did more with her life because as it was, she was merely existing. It was no use trying to pretend that her broken heart had healed because it hadn't. Ten years later, she was able to live with the dull ache but truthfully it wasn't repaired, it wasn't whole and she didn't know what to do about that. She did good work with women and young girls in the developing world and it honestly fulfilled and satisfied her in a way that nothing else would. She was content but not happy.

* * *

Olivia returned to her flat around 8. As soon as dinner was over she fed her mother the 'I'm still jetlagged' line and flee from her persistent badgering. There was only so much of Maya Pope Olivia could tolerate. She did her nightly routine – brushed her teeth, washed her face and moisturized it, wrapped her hair and secured it with her trusty silk scarf and finally donned one of her comfy cotton nighties. By the time she was nestled into the fluffy bed with _The Great Gatsby_ paperback, it was 8:30. Just as she was settled into the classic twentieth-century literature the buzzing sound of her blackberry on her nightstand interrupted. Her heart began racing as she surveyed the unknown number on the phone. _It could be Fitz,_ she thought. And the realization terrified her. _What were they going to talk about?_ Suddenly her throat became dry as she stared at the ringing phone, making no move to click on the green button to accept the call. But, by the time she reached for the device it had stopped ringing altogether. "Shit!" she muttered under her breath at her indecisiveness. But before she could further chastise herself her phone began ringing again. This time she wasted no time clicking on the green button.

"Hello," her voice answered soft and eager.

"Hi. Olivia?" The deep voice queried on the other end. She closed her eyes tightly as the once familiar voice washed over her, only thing it was much deeper than before.

"Hi, it's me," she squeaked.

"Hi," he said again; it once was their thing. "I hope I'm not calling too late."

She smiled, cradling the phone against her ear while tightly pulling the warm quilt around her shoulder – _The Great Gatsby now_ discarded somewhere on the empty spot beside her. "No, it's ok. How are you?"

She waited a second for him to answer. "I'm better now. And you?" She didn't miss the smile in his voice.

"I'm good." She clutched the phone tighter while looking up at the ceiling. The soft light from her night lamp cast a shadow on the white ceiling and she made shadow puppets with her free hand.

"Wow, can't believe I'm talking to you." He spoke genuinely; she heard the disbelief ringing in his voice. She couldn't believe it either but life had a funny way of happening.

"Me neither. Hope it's not too much of a trouble that you called." She wondered what his wife had to say about him calling his ex. _Ugh…_ She regretted looking up his Facebook profile now because that was all she could think of.

"Why would it be trouble?" He fell for her bait – hook, line and sinker.

She shrugged her shoulders as if he could see her. "So what's new with you?" she asked instead of answering his question.

"A lot of things. Anything in particular you want to know?"

 _YES!_ Her mind screamed. She wanted to know why he married someone else? Why didn't he wait for her? Her questions may sound outlandish even to her ears but she truly wanted to know. Except she was too coward to ask any of it, afraid of what his answers might be – so she racked her mind thinking up questions that were surface deep.

"Umm…" she licked her lips to add moisture, she didn't understand why she was so nervous talking to him but she tried to temper it. Inhaling deeply she finally said, "I noticed you were wearing a US Navy shirt at the airport, is that where you work?"

"Yea. I'm a Navy SEAL."

"Oh." That didn't make sense to her. "So, you never went to GWU to study law?" As long as she'd known Fitz he was planning to do law at George Washington University. Well, the Fitz she knew was. This grown version of him she didn't know.

She heard him sigh on the line before responding. "That was the plan but things changed. After…" he began but changed his mind. She wanted him to finish, needed him to finish. She wanted to know if he was just as affected as she was by her moving away.

"After what?" she asked, pushing herself to be bold, something she was not.

"After you left and after my father died things changed."

"What!" Olivia shrieked. "After your father died? When did that happen?" She was alarmed and her heart began beating against her chest. Even though she hadn't seen the man in quite sometime her heart still mourned for him.

Fitz chuckled, humorless, it wasn't the response she was expecting. _Why was he even laughing?_ "What's so funny?"

"You," he laughed. "You're acting all surprise about his death now when I had written you about it."

Olivia was officially confused. "When did you write me? I never got a single letter from you."

Fitz continued to laugh in a dry sarcastic kind of way and it irked her. "Stop that!"

"Stop what? I'm laughing because I've waited nine years for you to explain to me why you didn't reach out to me when my father died. Nine whole years! And the best you could do is lie to me? I thought I meant more to you, Olivia."

She quickly sat up in bed with her back bracing against the wrought iron bedhead, racking her mind to figure out what he's talking about. "Fitz, help me understand what you're talking about. I never got a letter from you when I moved over here. As a matter-of-fact I sent you letters that you never replied to."

His revelation didn't make sense. At first they both tried to call each other every so often but that proved difficult with the high cost of long distance calls and neither had a job to afford it, so they had to resort to letter writing but the thing was neither received each other's letters. And the lack of communication stifled their budding love on the bed of misunderstandings.

He stopped his dry laughter then, the seriousness evident in his voice as he spoke. "Are you serious? I never got a letter from you. This doesn't make any sense." And it didn't.

"I don't know what to say," was the most she could come up with, given the circumstance. "Did you get the right address?" He did, because he immediately recited the old address from the top of his head. "That's correct," she whispered in disbelief. How didn't she get his letters? The entire thing made no sense and only caused befuddlement to fall on her. The realization she was robbed of his comforting words made her stomach roil. All this time she thought he was ignoring her.

Fitz exhaled a long breath, the slight static in the phone reminded her that he was miles upon miles away. "I don't know what happened to the letters either because they weren't returned to me. For so long I wondered how could you not reach out to me when I needed you." The pain was still strong in his voice and she closed her eyes from the sound of it.

"I'm sorry," was all she could utter and she was tremendously sorry. She would've been there for him had she known about his father's passing.

A thick silence fell on the line, both parties deep in thought, thinking about the missing letters. It was no use rehashing it but they couldn't help not to.

"So what do you do?" Fitz asked, pulling them out of their trance and moving on to lighter topics.

"I'm a representative for UN Women."

"Nice," he praised. "So, no political silence?"

Shaking her head, she replied, "no."

Silence fell again as both thought about how much off course they were than what their teenaged selves had planned. By now they would've settled into their careers, married and trying for baby# 1 if said plan was still alive.

"Mmm…"

The conversation between them was both awkward and pleasant. So much unspoken things – so many questions and not enough asking. Not that she could bear to go down memory lane; it was too painful, but she had one question she wanted to ask. No, _needed_ to ask. Licking her lips to wet them, she build up the courage to inquire, "are you married?"

"No," his answer rushed through the phone like a cold drink of water on a summer day. It relieved her, it honestly did. And it shouldn't because why should she care? She no longer had claims on him.

"Never been married, you?" he returned her question.

She paused for a few seconds before saying, "No ring, no kids." She almost gave herself a pat on the back for smoothly bringing up kids, because that was something else she wanted to know.

Without hesitation she heard him state. "Well, I have a four-year-old son. His name is Gabriel Thomas Grant but we call him Gabe." She already knew this but she would never tell him that she'd looked him up on Facebook.

"Congrats," Olivia forced a chipper voice. _Dammit!_ Why did things like this bother her? She really needed to move on like her mother said. This wasn't good for her emotional wellbeing. But she just didn't know how. How do you get over someone whom you still loved?

"Thank you."

Clearing her throat, she asked, "So how's fatherhood treating you?"

"It's good. Hard at times but very rewarding."

She gulped. "Sounds lovely." Except it would've been lovelier had it been their experience to share.

"You have no idea how good it was to see you again and be able to talk to you like this. Even though so much time has passed, you've never been far from my mind. I wasn't lying when I told you I still think about you. What we had was real to me," he confessed softly and tears sprang to her eyes.

"It was very real for me too, Fitz."

Silence covered them in a blanket of warmth as they thought of their earlier years. Olivia knew it was wishful thinking on her part to even remotely hope that they could reconnect in the way they once were. Too much time has passed and people changed.

"My phone minutes are running low. I'll call you back some other time." He didn't ask, he stated it.

A giant smile splayed across her lips, "I would love that."

"Good, now that I found you, I'm not letting you go."

She didn't know what that fully meant but his statement made a tingle run up her spine. _Maybe after all there was hope…_

* * *

Author's Note: I know this phone call wasn't sparks and fireworks and I promise someday we'll get there. I hope that I was able to portray the awkwardness, relief and anxiousness of Olivia as she spoke with Fitz after such a long time. From what we've learnt a lack of communication between the two was definitely detrimental to their relationship. What happened to the letters?

FYI: Olivia has dated over the years but she has never let anyone get too close. So we learnt that Fitz is also not married and never been, but he does have a son. Bless the baby!

Is Maya right to force Olivia to think of the future or she's being as insensitive as she was 10 years ago?

Can't wait to read your reviews.

Until next time,

XOXO


End file.
